About Gurhan:

Gurhan Orhan was born in 1954  in Ankara , Turkey. Heralded by the World Gold Council for his pioneering work, master goldsmith Gurhan Orhan transcended jewelry trends when he launched his pure gold jewelry collection in 1997. Gurhan textures the surface of his hand-fabricated pieces to create a unique fashion-forward look with universal and enduring appeal. Gurhan has now introduced an entirely new line to his designs called "4/24". The collection uses an early Ottoman alloy containing 4 karats of gold and is combined with the signature pure 24-karat gold.

The story begins with Gurhan’s chance encounter with a sheet of pure gold at the age of 40 – it was love at first sight! And the ensuing passion led Gurhan to dedicate the rest of his life to creating wondrous jewelry out of this magical metal. Gurhan ignored the prevailing belief that pure 24 karat gold was too soft, heavy and expensive for jewelry. He studied the craft of the ancient goldsmiths of the Anatolian and Byzantine empires who had been successful in their endeavors to make pure gold jewelry, then refined their methods to develop his now signature technique.

Gurhan eschewed formal jewelry lessons and instead visited museums, examining first-hand the pieces the ancient artisans had made, and replicated their tools and the techniques to “reincarnate” their methods and spirit. He closeted himself in a tiny little workshop in the backstreets of the Grand Bazaar, entranced by the quest to bring to life the lost art of pure 24 karat gold jewelry.

Today his designs are driven by the dictates of the pure metal; every piece must achieve strength, lightness and affordability, as well as beauty in its design. But the warmth and sensuality that is central to pure gold remains at the soul of his pieces and is the first thing that appeals to his devoted followers.

Gurhan makes jewelry to seduce a woman’s senses, revealing its secrets in every detail. The graceful curve of the clasp. The texture of metal wrought by hand. The supple flow of chain. The tiny, almost hidden signature tag. The unique identity of every piece. All created for the pleasure of Gurhan’s muse and the expression of her being.

Gurhan creates jewelry that can transform a woman even as she transforms the jewelry by wearing it. Created by an artist and visionary to span all the stories of her life. “First I dream the woman, then I dream the jewelry. And when I talk about a “woman”, I’m not talking only about a beautiful model, I’m talking about every woman…my mother, my neighbor, my wife, my friends…my customers. Fate brings a woman and my jewelry together.”

Gurhan, the designer, is renowned for pioneering the revival of pure 24 karat gold jewelry. Before Gurhan, pure gold jewelry had not been made since ancient times. Since Gurhan, others have also responded to its allure but there is only one original GURHAN! In recent years, Gurhan has added pure platinum and pure silver to his repertoire, creating for his followers options in white metal and at different price points. Gurhan has now introduced an entirely new direction in his designs, a new line, "4/24", using an early Ottoman alloy containing 4 karats of gold and combines it with his signature pure 24 karat gold.

Gurhan jewelry is also known for its distinctive aesthetic, featuring the evidence that every piece is painstakingly hand made from scratch. The hand hammering and natural imperfections, resulting from the handcrafting, are regarded as Gurhan's fingerprints on his jewelry.